Addictions,
Strongholds -
versus
the Power and Wisdom of our God and His Christ
Saints, there are many many who wear Jesus' name and care deeply for Him and His Commands — who find themselves repeatedly feeling totally blown away by controlling urges of temptation and sin. They repeatedly anguish in tears, deeply desiring to rip the claws of the enemy away from their flesh, even to the point of being willing, as the Master taught to demonstrate the gravity of sin, to gouge out an eye or cut off a hand — rather than fail again in this addictive sin. You need to know this with absolute certainty: There is much hope for you, regardless of how deep sin has ravaged you! No matter what the enemy would try to tell you about your life and his assessment of it, if you CARE — there is endless Hope!
For those who would read this and you know by the Scriptures that you live in sinful excesses or addictions or practices — and yet you do NOT care, you do not wrestle, you do not feel conviction about these things — but instead excuse them, rationalize them, compare yourself to others, defend or rename the sins, or mind-block regarding them — without sadness in your heart for these things — may God have mercy on your soul.
A man or woman or child who TRULY has been born a Second time, with the Spirit of Christ within as the Proof "guaranteeing the Salvation" — every Saved person will CARE about sin, according to the Scriptures. When apart from His Will and Life, a truly Saved person will exclaim "What I do, I HATE." They will care, if they have met our Messiah, Jesus, the Anointed One. They will, as our Savior said, "LOVE the Light." Those who have the Proof of Salvation: the Spirit within (Rom. 8), will applaud and "Amen!" (not evade or attempt to excuse away) this Teaching of the Spirit of Christ through our brother John, the Apostle:
"EVERYONE who has this hope in the Coming of Jesus purifies himself, just as He is pure. Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not continue in sin. Whoever sins onward has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. No one who is Born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother."
So, I only speak to those who CARE DEEPLY about addictive and over-powering sins, rather than justify them. Those who excuse sin, feeling nothing, are "dead even while they live" and have perhaps already received "a powerful delusion, that they would believe the lie." But, for those who want to please Jesus with all of their hearts, and find themselves "easily beset" and "drug away and enticed by their own lusts" and take full responsibility for this — we write to you. If you KNOW you can and should overcome sin because you have "everything that pertains to Life and Godliness" and "every Spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus" — and all Provision in the Godhead is available, and "the Power that rose Christ Jesus from the dead and seated Him at the right hand of God" is "IN you, the Hope of Glory!" ...for you alone these things are written. Part of exploring and experiencing the FULL POWER OF GOD in this present age (Rom. 6, 8) is in this Scripture: "You shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you free." To walk in agreement with God, and to know and cooperate in His Truths — is paramount to EXPERIENCING the full blessing of the Cross and of Pentecost, in our lifetimes, "in the mortal body."
The thought under consideration in these couple of pages is this: WHAT does it mean to "cast down imaginations" in order to tear down "strongholds" in our lives? Or put another way, besides renouncing satan and totally agreeing with God about what is sin (the obvious Beginning place of Life)... besides this, what correction of our thinking might we have that will more fully manifest the Power and Life and Love of Jesus that lives within us, if we are truly Saved?
We have written much to you about these things over the years, and much more might be said about the necessity of seeing ONLY the Blood of Jesus as our ability to stand before the Father, and how to appropriate the "weapons of our warfare which are not of the flesh" and "take up the full armor of God." And yet, here, there is just this one point we want to make in this brief note:
MANY OF OUR ADDICTIONS AND "STRONGHOLDS" (IF NOT ALL OF THEM) CAN BE TRACED TO TRYING TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM OUR FEELINGS OF HELPLESSNESS, AND THE FEELING OF BEING OUT OF CONTROL. Our humanity screams at this crucial circumstance, as the Father woos us at this exact same place.
Without a lot of mumbo-jumbo or self-important sounding psycho-babble to clutter the thought, just do this: consider your addiction or addictions openly before Father and Jesus (the "Master Teacher!"). And, PAY ATTENTION to what launches your "addictions" and "failures." If you truly pay attention to how and when you fall back into these wretched "controlling" sins, you will likely find that there is a PATTERN in that mess of previously confusing and disheartening circumstances. There are situations or people ("Bad company corrupts good character," says the Lord), and certain kinds of events that the enemy uses successfully again and again to hold you in bondage and then to beat you with thoughts of self-hatred and disillusionment. Identify those areas where he has tricked you ("We are not unaware of satan's devices!"), and let the TRUTH set you free, indeed!
What are some addictions or strongholds that you have allowed to be your master (Romans 6)?
Movie or television addiction
Procrastination
Food addictions
Pain relievers
Mood altering drugs
Vitamin or supplement pill-popping
"Health" food obsessions
"Good" water controlling "preferences"
Coffee ("have to have, or else __") addiction
Sugar, sweet desserts and candy
Chocolate
Sleeping late, hiding from life or decisions by sleeping
Staying up late obsession
Reading obsession
Alcohol addiction
Exercise or body building vanity, or schedule or thought controlling
Self-imposed depression
Self-imposed illness
Daydreaming habits
Hiding away in a house or room
Being argumentative or angry or demanding
Hiding in sport or music
Traditions or rituals that we are upset if we don't have
Travel lusts
Biological family controlling emotions and decisions
Lust for being seen as important, intelligent, special, or different
Lust for a "best friend" or "soul mate" or "close companion"
Lust to "belong to something" or "be part of something" or "movement lust"
Excitement addictions
Lust for change
Physical self-indulgence
Hyper-religious in jargon, or way of carrying oneself (Jesus was not)
Religious dress-up (hats, hair, choice of clothing, office, position)
Finding comfort in shopping for clothing or other material goods
Shopping for, thinking about, "needing" latest techno-gadgets or stereo or computer
gizmos or software
Playing in the dark, dark world of the internet (surfing, or chat rooms, or
the like)
Mysteries
Secrets
Gossip
Pornography
Things forbidden
Jealousy
(Invariably, someone will ask, "So what is WRONG with 'thus and such' ANYWAY? Are you saying that 'thus and such' is SIN?!" For everyone but the one who asked this, I would say that many things like reading or travel are of course not 'automatically' sin, in moderation and by the Spirit's leading. If they are driven unguided and unhindered instead by our fleshly appetites — of course this is always sin. And, to the one who is incensed about THEIR particular hobby-horse being on the list, I would say, "Absolutely. It is sin.")
ALL OF THESE ADDICTIONS AND STRONGHOLDS, AND THE OTHER FORTY-TWO THOUSAND I DIDN'T MENTION, ARE ISSUES THAT HOLD CAPTIVE MANY THOUSANDS OF PRECIOUS LAMBS WHO TRULY DESIRE TO BE FREE AND TO PLEASE JESUS. These overpowering temptations seem to have "a life of their own" — taking us off guard at times, even at times when we had thought we had already left the allure of that temptation behind forever.
But do you know what? Instead of seeing these strongholds and addictions as reasons to feel unclean, useless, foolish, weak, ugly, degraded, self-indulgent, and worthless — we can use those abhorrent temptations AGAINST satan. These addictions POINT TOWARDS opportunities to Fellowship more deeply with the Father and One Another — by showing us areas where we have tried to solve our feelings of HELPLESSNESS with things other than Jesus and His Father's Love! FIND the areas satan has TRULY held you captive in — the places where we have felt helpless — instead of focusing merely on the sins we have tried to FILL the void with! The addictions and strongholds are the SYMPTOMS, the OUTLETS — not the issues themselves. The sins themselves are often just a smoke-screen of the enemy, to cloud the REAL issue. THAT is why "hard work" and "Scripture memory" or "12 Steps" and "self-control" and "accountability" and the like — SO SELDOM permanently solve any real problems. "Fewer than six percent" would be a good estimate of how many have overcome addictions and strongholds in this way. And while Father... by prayer, fasting, the laying on of hands, by Gift, or by a dove or donkey... can Sovereignly heal us and transform us in an INSTANT (and often does!), we also are all keenly aware that there are other times He is Training us to use His Weapons and Shield and Helmet by making us apply Truth, Love, Prayer and Perseverance, all in His Timing, to overcome. The man born blind, Job, Joseph, Moses, and all of God's Men and Women will learn this Lesson as well! Not ALL sin problems are "instantly" healed, as we wish they would be. Why not? We sometimes need to appropriate the Truth, the Tools, and the Timing... because God "leaves enemies to train His People who have not experienced war... who had not had any previous battle experience" (Judges 3:1-2) and "so the Work of God might be openly displayed in your life" (John 9:3).
SO, re-read the above list of addictions and bondages and strongholds. Is there anything that just HAS you by the throat, and you DESPISE that sin, and "hate even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh?" Do you know anyone who has demonstrated their hatred of sin and deep passion for Jesus, and willingness to do ANYTHING to be free of sin and fully passionate for the Father and His Work, the Son and His Bride? They, like a man of God must be, "are distressed by the filthy loves of lawless men" and "are tormented in their righteous soul by the lawless deeds they saw and heard" and were themselves tempted by? And yet, for some reason, the tentacles of the sin continue to choke their Fellowship with Him and His People (1 Jn. 1:1-7) — while still "what they do, they HATE?" If so, then consider this:
Most every addiction or sin or temptation you can think of or experience has it's root in the fact that we feel HELPLESS at times, and REACT by running to addictions or "strongholds." Remember, satan's "power" lies NOT in the ability to MAKE one sin who has JESUS living within them, but rather in his LIES. He is the "father of lies" and JESUS is the Truth, the ANTIDOTE! For that reason, it is not that we ought to be AFRAID that Father will "smoke" us for these sins, but more importantly WE NEED TO BE "CONSCIOUS OF GOD" knowing that He means to BE OUR ALL-IN-ALL, and we are NEVER ALONE or WITHOUT A HELPER!! He can Teach us the TRUTH about ourselves, and about Him, and about the world around us... and the TRUTH will set us free.
Begin to identify what it is you are afraid of, or what areas of "helplessness" trigger your mad dash to the addictive endorphin-inducing sins listed above. What things are we trying to compensate for, and what things do we feel helpless to deal with and are tricked into seeking "pain relief" for? If we can SEE it, we can turn to Him — instead of to sin at those moments. The Solution is NOT in "more self-control" and "trying harder" and "more accountability" (though certainly these are tools He has recommended to us in His Word at times). The Solution is Seeing where we have not Trusted Him completely and hidden our lives in Him in a real-time way in the stresses of life! We actually can USE satan's temptations AGAINST him by learning what areas of our lives we have not yet allowed the Spirit of Jesus to come alongside us in to Comfort and to Counsel. "RESIST the devil, and he will flee from you!" We can be "aware of satan's devices" and turn to the Father in these areas that have incited fear within us. When previously we have used sin to HIDE from the Father, we can identify these areas and learn to RUN to Him and offer these temptations as a GIFT to Him — BEFORE we turn to the "drugs" listed above!
What triggers your run to these sins above, as an escape? Helplessness about:
Insufficient time
to do what you are "supposed" to do
Lack of ability to do what you are "supposed" to do, or something you deem "worthwhile"
Fear of others' expectations
Feeling unworthy
Feeling unforgiven
Feeling unloved, or inability to make others love you
Fear of no control over finances
Lack of control over health issues
Family members' actions or decisions or loves — depression or anger that we
can't control these things
Fear of being alone
Fear of chaos or disorder, or noise
Fear of Entropy, the decay or loss of material goods
Fear of pain or discomfort
Fear of inconvenience
Fear of change or the unpredictable
Fear of the future
Fear of being stuck in a situation that won't change
Fear of growing old
Fear of being unattractive
Fear of being not liked or not popular or not "included"
These are a few of the things that LAUNCH our addictions and strongholds, IF we fall for satan's tactics and give in to the sinful diversions. We find ourselves RUNNING to "the sins that so easily beset" when we are not close to Him and His Thoguhts in an area — not because we're "unclean, useless, foolish, weak, ugly, degraded, self-indulgent, and worthless." If we are washed in His Blood and HE has made His home in us, we are ANYTHING but all of that! However, when faced with the helpless feelings above, we can LEARN how to TURN TO HIM AS OUR ALL-SUFFICIENCY in these exact matters! THEN, we will not need the endorphin self-destructive addictions that we use to try to numb the pain of what we haven't even yet clearly identified. The sin is the SYMPTOM, not the true issue Father wants to Teach us!
So, "what shall we say, then, Brothers and Sisters" when we identify the ROOT insecurities and mistrusts — the things that have previously sent us scurrying for bread that is not Bread? How then can we answer the enemy and RESIST him, when "self-control" and "accountability" yield such short-termed results?
What if we were to "look to JESUS, the Author and Finisher of our Faith" as the fulfillment of every need and every hope and dream that brings pleasure to the Father?!
WHAT IF the Father has all of His sufficiency for EVERY issue and every insecurity, every worry, pressure, and confusion ALL BOUND UP IN HIS SON? IT IS SO! Every issue of life and Life is perfectly formed and resolved in the Love of God and His Wisdom, and He's TRAINING us to See the universe as HE sees it, and to TRUST HIM in all ways. We don't NEED the gall to dull the pain, but rather to commit our lives into the Father's Hands, in all things. And, in this we are being TRAINED to be like Him and to be a Bride fit to be yoked for all Eternity to the King of Kings! Hallelujah!!
Trust Him — turn to Him and His Thoughts about the matter that troubles you. "Think on THESE things" — not the false fix of sin — when you feel discouragement or trapped by things out of your control...
Insufficient
Time
Psalm 90:4
2 Peter 3:8
Matthew 6:25-34
1 Corinthians 6:20
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Galatians 6:10
Ephesians 5:16
James 4:13-15
Lack of ability
Colossians 1:27
1 Cor 12:4-11
2 Cor 4:7
2 Cor 9:10
Exodus 4:11-12
1 Peter 4:19
1 Corinthians 15:9-10
Luke 12:11-12
Judges 6
James 1:5
Fear of Others'
Expectations
Luke 12:4-6
Acts 5:29
Romans 8:15
Mark 3:31-35
Luke 14:26
2 Corinthians 5:9-11
Revelation 12:11
Feeling Unworthy
Hebrews 10:14
Hebrews 4:14-16
Ephesians 4:1
James 4:7-10
2 Peter 1:3
Romans 5:9-11
Romans 8:1
Romans 6:5
Hebrews 9:11-14
Ephesians 2:13
Romans 5:9
Romans 3:21-26
Romans 4:19-21
Galatians 4:7
Ephesians 2:8-10
Feeling Unforgiven
Ephesians 2:8-10
Hebrews 10:10
Lamentations 3:23
Galatians 4:7
Matthew 26:28
Psalm 103:12
Roman 8:1-4
Psalms 130
John 1:29
John 3:16-18
1 John 1:9
Luke 1:76-79
Acts 2:38
Luke 24:45-47
Philippians 3:13
Feeling unloved,
or inability to make others love you
Philippians 2:3-4
Matthew 20:28
Psalm 40:17
Matthew 7:12
1 Peter 1:18-20
Romans 5:8
Luke 7:47
Galatians 6:15
Matthew 6:25-27
Proverbs 8:17
Psalm 57:10
1 John 4:19
Psalm 63:3
Psalm 66:20
Psalm 23
Psalm 86:13
1 John 3:1
Romans 8:31-39v
Fear of no
control over finances
Mat 6:25-34
Phil 4:6-7
Phil 4:12-13
2 Cor 1:3-6
Mark 10:29-30
Phil 4:12-13
Psalm 50:10
Psalm 119:36
Psalm 55:22
Mat 6:25-34
Hebrew 10:34
Luke 12:27
Mat 6:25-26
Ps 37:25-26
Ps 34:10
Ps 23
Deut 28:2-8
Phil 3:7-11
Lk 6:38
Prov13:22
Mat 9:29
Phil 4:19
John 15:7
Lack of control
over health issues
Rom 5:2b-5
Prov 1:33
Prov 3:25
Rom 8:35-37
Rom 8:18-26
Isaiah 8:11-14
1 Peter 4:19
Proverbs 11:19
2 Cor 4:16
Mat 10:30-31
Mat 6:25-26
Ps 12:5
Mk 9:43-48
2 Cor 12:7-10
Ps 41:1-13
Family members'
actions or decisions or loves — depression or anger that we can't control
these things
1 Pet 3:13-16
Prov 24:19-20
Ps 23
Ps 34:17
Is 43:2
Mat 10:19
2 Sam 22:29-31
Fear of being
alone
Psalm 68:6
I Cor 12:12-31
Isaiah 41:10
Is 43:2
Mark 10:29-30
Mat 28:19-20
Mat 28:20
Isaiah 43:1-3
Is 40:1-11
John 14:16-18
Heb 13:5
Mat 28:20
1 Sam 12:22
Is 41:10
Ro 8:35-39
Deut 4:31, 31:6
Fear of chaos
or disorder, or noise
Prov 1:33
2 Cor 6:14
Luke 8:21
Luke 10:38-41
Proverbs 2: 1-22
Proverbs 10:8-32
Proverbs 12:3
Proverbs 14:29
Proverbs 15:28
John 14:27
Luke 2:14
John 14:27
2 Kings 6:16
Is 26:3
Is 9:6
Phil 4:6-7
Ps 29:11
Fear of Entropy,
the decay or loss of material goods
Hab 3:17-18
Prov 3:25
Jer 29:11
Luke 9:23
Philippians 3:4-11
Philippians 4:11-13
Psalm 34:3-10
Nahum 1:7
Mat 6:19-21
Mat 6:28-33
Is 57:1-2
2 Cor 5:6-7
1 Thess. 4:13-14
Rev 21-4
Fear of pain
or discomfort
Rom 8:17-26
2 Cor 6:3
2 Cor 12:7
Psalm 37:23-24
1 Peter 5:7
Lamentations 3:17-33
Psalm 91
Deut 8:5-9
Psalm 69: 29-32
Luke 21:17-19
Isa 43:1-5
Hebrews 12:11
2 Cor 1:1:3-11
Rev 21:3-4
Fear of inconvenience
1 Cor 6:20
James 1:12
James 1:2-4
Romans 12:1-2
Romans 8:28
Luke 9: 23-25
Mat 19:29
Phil 2:3-4
Phil 2:13
Acts 2:44, 45
1 Pet 4:9
Fear of change
or the unpredictable
Phil 4:6-7
James 1:17
John 3:8
Jer 29:11
Psa 90:12
Lam 3:22-23
1 Cor 10:13
Isa. 8:12
Heb 13:8
Mat 6:25
Phil 1:20
Jer 7:5
Mat 18:3
Fear of the
future
Isa 46:3-4
Pro 16:31
Pro 20:29
Jn 3:16
Jer 29:11
Heb 13
Rom. 8
Mat 6:34
Rom 8:31-32
Col 3:1-4
Mat 7:7
Mat 7:19-21
Mat 10:29-31
Psa 37:5, 23-24, 34
Psa 31:14, 15
1 Pet 5:7
1 Pet 4:19
Job 13:15
2 Tim 1:12
Fear of being
stuck in a situation that won't change
Rom 8:28
Mat 6:33
Rev 12:11
Isa 54:17
Romans 8:31-39
Mal 4:2
Ps 96:2
Ps 118:14
Isa 12:2
Isa 59:1
Jer 3:23
Jer 50:34
Jonah 2:9
John 3:16
Jer 29:11
Fear of growing
old
Psa 73:25-26
1 Pet 3:3-4
Proverbs 31:30
1 Sam 16:7
Proverbs 16:31, 20:29
Isa 46:4
Romans 4
1 Cor 15
2 Cor. 4:16
Psalm 92:14
Job 12:12
Fear of being
unattractive
1 Sam 16:7
1 Pet 3:3
Is 54:1
Is 53
Gal 1:10
Josh 24:15
Acts 5:29
1 Cor 3:4-5
Proverbs 31:30
Phil 3:7ff
Col 3:12
Gal 6:15
Fear of not
being liked or popular or "included"
Mat 10:24
Isa 51:12
1 Cor 12
Acts 4:19-20
Mat 5:10-12
Rom 8:31-32
Phil 2:4
Col 3:14-15
Mat 23:11, 20:26-28
1 Pet 2:9-12